4runner+Flippac

[FurthurOnTheFly]

If only Ursa Minor would expand building their ECampers on other platforms (like a 3rd Gen 4Runner...*hint*) all of our problems would be solved! :victory:

I REALLY like the Elements, but they just can't go where my 4Runner can.

 

[Ursa Minor]

ah...

but can your 4Runner go where my Rubicon Unlimited can? :smiley_drive:

 

[FurthurOnTheFly]

Very likely, in comfort and without fear of breaking down!

Oh! :violent-smiley-031:



:sombrero:

 

[CYi5]

Very likely, in comfort and without fear of breaking down! Oh! :violent-smiley-031:

Zing!

 

[thebrassnuckles]

Pics you say...

I just went out aand pulled the top off my flippac and snapped a few pics....just for you

To remove the top portion of the fp one must first remove the tent and Tbar.. I have no Tbar so I will omit that step.

Next you will need to gain access to the screws on each corner.

To do this lift the rubber on each corner, mine was loose b ut some may need to use a razor blade

Next you find the little tubes holdinh the tent in place.. I grabbed them with needle nosed pliers. Then just pull that sucker out. There are 2 sides one front and one rear. I did not remove the tent from the upper half.

You will then need to pull the corners of the tent off the weather stripping. Here is a picture.

The next thing I didwas remove the screw holding the tent bows to the lower half. I didn't get a picture of the next steps cause the lights went out.

I took some straps and strategically placed them to keep the tent from opening.

I then called my 110 pound wife to help lift this monstrosity off.

She laughed.

I then shimmied this beast (with her help) to the floor.


Next I realized (she told me) there was nowhere to put this thing.

So I grabbed my trusty half a skateboard dolly and wheeled it into a corner of my garage.

That's all for now.

Illget more pics tomorrow after work.

 

[thebrassnuckles]

Incase anyone is wondering what's taking so long... I have this little monster crawling all over the place.

Expo. Meet Sophie.

 

[walking eagle]

Funny, after my LX450 Burnt up, I was looking into a 1st gen 4 runner, and was thinking about how to put a flippac on one.

I think you have the right idea, but I'd modify it a little bit. Cut the 4 runner top to leave all the matting surfaces like you said. Then as you planned, cut the flippac to match as close as you can. At this point, I'd take some 1/8" x 3" aluminum plate. Attach it to the 4-runner toper. I'd probably drill through the topper and bolt it. Then do the same on the flippac. Now the two pieces are firmly attached to one another. Glass over the aluminum spars everywhere except where the bolts are. Now, you can take the bolts out and you're two pieces are still together. If the flip-pac is too long, just cut it so it goes over the cab. You can foam and glass it to match up (see link below on foam and fiberglass)

At this point, you just need to fill the gap. If it's a nice flat gap you can put some aluminum foil over boards or something, on the inside and glass from the outside, then remove the boards. If it's not nice and even and flat (more likely), get some foam from lowes or home depot - the house insulation foam ( http://www.rqriley.com/frp-foam.htm ) and attach it to the two toppers. Either glue it. or tape it securely - glue would be my 1st choice, double side tape second, just taping the edges would be my last choice.

The foam is flexable and will give a nice contour betwen the two toppers. Glass it from the outside - make sure you've sanded back far enough on both of them that you can get some overlap for strength. The aluminum spars will help with the strength though. You can now either glass over the foam on the inside (pick a thin foam - it comes from like 1/4" up to 3") or you can grab a scraper and pull the foam off, it'll be a bit of a mess, but not too bad. Then glass the inside after you have all the foam off. Paint the interior with bedliner and you're golden. You don't have to do the bedliner, but if you do you have to do next to no prep work compared to trying to sand all the fiberglassing you just did to a paintable smoothness.

My ultimate idea for a 4 runner was to do what you're doing, then make a trailer out of a 4 runner bed as well. Cut it just in front of where the toper mates. Why? Well, the acid fueled idea was I could put the topper on the 4 runner, and have a canvas toneau for the trailer. Drive out to Moab in a nice quite hard topped 4 runner, while pulling a low profile trailer. Then, once in moab, throw the bikini top on the 4 runner, and put the topper on the trailer and have a nice base camp. So, for some trips you could just have the 4 runner /camper, other trips, you could have the 4 runner plus a camper trailer. Just a rambling dream....

 

[walking eagle]

maybe this will help with what I'm saying...

1st is the 4 runner toper w/ everything cut off 4" back from where it mates to the truck. Aluminum slats are put on the sides and the front.

Then the flip pack - cut so that the height works out for the part that hangs over the cab, and the length works out so it lines up in the back - goes on, also gets attached to the slats.

Then you put a layer of foam and fiberglass to finish the bottom of the over cab section. And finally fiberglass in the gap between the two pieces.

 

[slus]

I'll be watching this one. Maybe I will take a few hundred hours off after grad school and do the same:sombrero:

 

[thebrassnuckles]

maybe this will help with what I'm saying...

1st is the 4 runner toper w/ everything cut off 4" back from where it mates to the truck. Aluminum slats are put on the sides and the front.

Then the flip pack - cut so that the height works out for the part that hangs over the cab, and the length works out so it lines up in the back - goes on, also gets attached to the slats.

Then you put a layer of foam and fiberglass to finish the bottom of the over cab section. And finally fiberglass in the gap between the two pieces.

I had entertained this idea before, but once I got home and looked at both toppers, I decided it would be alot more involved than just setting the FP on the skeleton of the stock top. The FP is a considerable amount wider than the stock top, so the walls wouldnt line up properly.

I got some more work done on my 4runner, but it was unrelated to the FP...

I got a new windshield, and am fixing my turn signals... the wiring on this thing is ridiculous.:Wow1:


this weekend I will be tearing out a bathroom and working on the backyard, if I get some time I may be able to do some work on the 'runner.

I will not be leaving in december so I will have more time to work on it.

There are still some mechanical issues with my 4runer I need to get worked out.. and I'm on a tight budget.

I did just save myself $150 though.. I lost my keys in the oil fields last week and finally found them... after massive amounts of searching...:wings:

 

[walking eagle]

I had entertained this idea before, but once I got home and looked at both toppers, I decided it would be alot more involved than just setting the FP on the skeleton of the stock top. The FP is a considerable amount wider than the stock top, so the walls wouldnt line up properly.

I would argue that it is exactly why is is a good way of doing it. You bend the straps such that one is centered over the other. Then lay in the floam, and it makes a smooth transition form one to the other.

The other alternative would be to cut just the very top off the flip-pac. Cut just the very top flat part of the 4 runner top, and then foam and fiberglass to make it all smooth.

I obviously don't know how much wider and longer the flip-pac is, so I'm just guessing on my models. I'd just really try to keep the 4 runner topper part where it mounts and seals. The one advantage of course is the ability to go back to a stock top if you wanted, or, if something happened to this 4 runner you could swap it to a different one easily.

 

[wyocoyote]

wow flip-pac or wildernest 4 runner

Did you finish this project, very enticing. I'm toying with something like this for my 85 4runner baja surftripper. The only drawback for me is it'd be pretty darn tough to pull the top off, and that's a big part of the beauty to me. Shoot I have a dying eurovan weekender, maybe I could graft its poptop onto it. Iguess what I'd really like is something like you are building, but the roof chopped above the driver as well that was still light and removeable. Even better removeable and campable, so i can tool around in my truck w/o it.Being a lazy man, I of course wish it was available aftermarket, being a cheapskate, I wish I could find it used. Being resouceful I really like this thread! Being wishful, I wish say can-back or softopper would make me a canvas cabover camper "shell" but i still need to have racks that will accomodate longboards. I know in mexico they custom make very nice camper shells from corrugated aluminum ( i think its aluminum) you know like the cheaper american camper shells, kind of like cheap metal sheds. that might be the ticket. sure its uninsulated, and will probably be loud, but should be light. Some where in the north of Mexico, they probably arent dirt cheap. I bet they arent afraid to fabricate they look well made. Please dont get all 'merican on me it is a japanese truck after all.
Better save up for a earthroamer, hope i dont hit my head on those granite counters as a passenger or a unimog with a hot scandanavian mechanic companion.
Let me know if your bitchen project has culminated.

 

[thebrassnuckles]

one step closer

well I made a minute amount of progress today.

the FP is on the 4runner!!!!:wings:

but its just strapped on. and nowhere near anything ready to be permanently mounted...
but its something:elkgrin:

 

[Ruined Adventures]

well Rome wasn't built in a day!

I was just wondering about your project the other day, glad to see you're keeping with it.

 

[walking eagle]

well Rome wasn't built in a day!

And the 4 runner flip-pac wasn't built in a year (well 1o months?)

I stumpled across this thread the other day - again - cause I've been contemplating switching from the 80 series to a 4-Runner and doing this and was searching for flippac 4 runner, or 4 runner camper - and can't find anyone who's done this.

Front the photo it definately looks like you'll have to make it overhang the cab a bit.